


Not Here For The Coffee

by littlechinesedoll



Series: Tumblr Prompts [8]
Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games), Mortal Kombat - All Media Types, mortal kombat x
Genre: Alternate Universe - Barista Takeda, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-03 00:39:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4079965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlechinesedoll/pseuds/littlechinesedoll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr prompt: A quirky coffee shop AU? Takeda the Barista?</p><p>A college boy named Kung Jin comes to the shop every day without fail. Everybody in the shop except Takeda knows the reason he keeps coming back isn't the coffee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Here For The Coffee

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr link: http://littlechinesedoll.tumblr.com/post/120775459691/a-quirky-coffee-shop-au-takeda-the-barista
> 
> No idea how American coffee shops work. Or what fancy drinks you get in coffee shops over there. Or how baristas work (im sorry /cries) So…basing this heavily on what I’ve read in mangas/doujins lol. Also Kenshi isn’t blind.
> 
> I don’t even drink coffee. 
> 
> unbeta’d and written at work.

“Isoide kudasai, Takeda-kun!” Hanzo said softly to Takeda when another customer came in and sat down. (1)  
  
“Hai, hai!” Takeda whisked from out of the counter to serve the coffee to one of their frequent customers, a college student named Kung Jin.  
  
“Easy on him, Hanzo,” said Kenshi, wiping his hands on a clean kitchen towel as he stepped out of the kitchen. “He knows what he’s doing, and he knows it well,”  
  
“Can’t hurt to do it faster too, right?” said Hanzo. “Not everyone’s as patient as Kung Jin-san when waiting for their orders,”  
  
“I don’t think he comes here for the coffee,” Kenshi chuckled.  
  
“He better be here for the coffee or I’ll kick him out,” Hanzo frowned at him.  
  
“I’m sure he means well,” Kenshi went back to the kitchen to check on the pastries in the oven.  
  
“Hmph,” Hanzo crossed his arms as he watched Takeda serve Kung Jin.  
  
“Good morning!” Takeda cheerfully greeted him as he set the cup of coffee and pastry down gently on the table.  
  
Jin looked up from the book he was reading and smiled at him.“Good morning, Takeda,“ 

“Your usual house brew and raisin cinnamon roll, sir,” Takeda smiled back at him. “Have an exam today?” he asked as he peeked at the book Jin held.  
  
“Yes,” answered Jin with a small nod. “I’m hoping it’s not too difficult,”  
  
“You’ll do fine!” said Takeda. “If you pass, tell me, and I’ll give you a free cheesecake,”  
  
Jin blushed. “Uh, you don’t have to do that,” he said shyly.  
  
“You study here everyday! Think of it as an incentive,” Takeda insisted.  
  
“Takeda-kun!” came Hanzo’s voice.  
  
Takeda winced. “Sorry. I have to go. I hope you enjoy the food!” he went to the other table to take the customer’s order, then went back behind the counter to make her coffee. Every once in a while, he glanced over at Jin’s table, checking if he’s still there or if he’d already left.  
  
Half past twelve, Cassie came in and the shop is almost full. “You’re late!” Hanzo hissed at her as she hurried to put on her apron.  
  
“I know, and I’m sorry!” she said apologetically as she fumbled with tying the apron around her waist.  
  
“Help Takeda and take this to table five,” Hanzo gave her an order to prepare.  
  
Cassie looked over to table five, and grinned. She quickly put together the order, and made her way to the table. “Hi!” she said as she set down the new order, then cleared up the previous one.  
  
“Hello,” said Jin, “Thank you,”  
  
“You’re Kung Jin, right?” Cassie asked carefully.  
  
“Jin is fine,” Jin nodded.  
  
“Great!” she smiled, pulled a pen from her pocket, and wrote a number on one of Jin’s napkins. Then underlined the name whom the number belonged to. Takeda. “Call. Him.”  
  
It sounded almost like a threat that Jin couldn’t do anything but nod.  
  
“Enjoy!” she left to take care of the other customers, and Jin was left dumbfounded, and watching Takeda move behind the counter.  
  
Takeda poured the black coffee into the tall cup, and handed it to the customer waiting for his takeout. He saw Jin looking in his direction. He met his eye and waved with a smile.  
  
Again, blood rushed to Jin’s face as he timidly waved back, then went back to his books and his lunch. He stared at the napkin with Takeda’s number. He…wasn’t going to call him. Besides, there was another frequent customer who liked Takeda. The pretty girl with the cornrow hair, who liked staying until late at night. He knew he stayed until late here, too, studying. He sighed and bit into his sandwich.  
  
“He’s cute,” said Cassie casually as she restocked the display of pastries.  
  
There wasn’t any rushtime, since they had a sit down and have coffee cafe instead of a Starbucks wannabe place. So at times, when the flow of people were slow, they cleaned behind the counter, and Hanzo and Kenshi spend their time in the back in Kenshi’s office. Cassie didn’t want to know what they were doing. Takeda probably knew but she didn’t ask.  
  
“Huh?” Takeda turned to her, but put his focus back to the coffee to avoid accidents. “Who’s cute?”  
  
“Him. The guy at table five,” she put the tray and tongs away.  
  
“Oh,” Takeda said thoughfully, taking a look at Jin, who was still studying. “Um, I guess,” he started to clear up the utensils that weren’t being used.  
  
“You should ask him out,”  
  
Takeda almost dropped the blender pitcher he was rinsing. “What?!” he set it down before he could break it.  
  
“Well, yeah,” she said, “Wouldn’t hurt, you know. And I might have given him your number,”  
  
“What the-seriously?!” he said incredulously. “You might’ve scared him off–what if he never comes back?”  
  
“Why would he not come back?” she asked, “He’s not here for the coffee, I’ll tell you that. Of course he’ll come back!”  
  
“What?” Takeda’s brows met in confusion. “What do you mean he’s not here for coffee? Of course he’s here for coffee. He orders his usual everyday!”  
  
Cassie stared at him. She snorted trying to hold back her laughter. She pulled him to the stock room and let out her laugh there. “Are you kidding me right now? Even your dad knows the dude doesn’t come in here for coffee. He comes for you, Takeda. Not for the coffee,”  
  
Takeda felt his face heating up. “I…I don’t know…”  
  
“Don’t tell me you like that military brat that comes in here everyday trying to get in your pants!” she frowned.  
  
“Jacqui? What? NO!” Takeda shuddered. “Of course not–wait, she was trying to get in my pants?”  
  
“Wow, you’re really dense,” Cassie giggled. “Alright, ninja, go out there, and ask him out,” she pushed him out of the stockroom, out from behind the counter toward table five.  
  
But Kung Jin wasn’t at table five anymore.  
  
Takeda and Cassie looked around, scanning the whole shop for Jin, but he wasn’t there, and Takeda feels sort of disappointed. 

“Oh well, there’s always tomorrow,” said Cassie as she went back behind the counter. “He’s here every day anyway," 

Takeda took one last look at table five before attending to the customer who just walked in. "Irasshaimase,” he bowed and put on a smile. 

— 

Takeda busied himself with the group of important looking people who came in. Several men in sharp suits and shiny shoes, sat down and had coffee, and were having a fun conversation, based from the laughter Takeda was hearing. They were the only customers and Hanzo was serving them the fresh pot of brewed coffee Takeda had prepared a few minutes earlier. . 

“You’re being awfully quiet,” said Cassie as she put away the cups and saucers she’d just washed. 

“Well,” Takeda sighed. “It’s two am and it’s a slow day,” he said as he cleaned up his station. 

“Uh-huh,” she refused to believe that was the reason he’d been so silent. “Cute dude didn’t come in today, that’s why you’re all spaced out," 

Takeda wanted to shove a cinnamon roll into her shit eating grin. He glanced at Jin’s empty table. "He’s a valued customer," 

"Valued customer,” she scoffed at him. “Yeah, right. I’ll leave you to your stubborn denial,” she went to the kitchen and decided to help Kenshi with whatever he needed help with. 

Takeda sighed again, and went on to prepare the rest of the orders, which were just a few banana muffins and carrot cupcakes. Hanzo took them out of his hands moments later.  

Of course he was disappointed that Jin didn’t come in. Jin had a schedule, and the only day he didn’t come in were Sundays, because duh, he didn’t have classes on Sundays, and he was probably spending time with his family, probably that dude he came in with one day, the one with a fancy hat named Lao. And it was a Thursday. A  _Thursday_  and Jin wasn’t in like he usually was. 

What if he got into an accident? What if he graduated and Takeda didn’t even get to congratulate him? What if he got kicked out of school? He couldn’t be kicked out of school the way he studied all day here at the shop. 

“Dou ka shita no, Takeda-kun?” (2)

Takeda jumped, almost breaking yet again another piece of glassware, while absently trying to dry them. “Papa!” with a pounding heart, Takeda put down the glass he was drying. (3)

Kenshi chuckled. “You should be paying attention to what you are doing," 

"You shouldn’t be startling people like that!” Takeda frowned at him. 

“I’ve noticed Kung Jin-san hasn’t come in today,” he said as he looked around the shop. 

Takeda picked up another glass and stayed quiet. He’d been checking his phone if Jin texted him or called him. There was no message or call. Even a missed call. “He’s probably busy," 

"I see,” Kenshi nodded. 

Takeda shot him an incredulous look. “Really? You too?" 

"Kung Jin-san seems like a nice boy,” said Kenshi sincerely. “And you need to do something with your free time other than make coffee, and be at home. Though Hanzo doesn’t seem to be fond of the idea of you spreading your wings a little bit," 

"He didn’t want me using chained kunai either," 

Kenshi raised a brow at him. 

"It’s a stereotype thing Cassie said, ignore that,” Takeda quickly remedied. “And yeah, I know, he’s just a teeny tiny bit overprotective. By teeny tiny I mean dating is a huge ass deal," 

Kenshi put a hand on Takeda’s shoulder to give him a reassuring squeeze. "Dating someone just means that, you’ll be vulnerable to a kind of experience that can either be amazing, or painful. As your parents, we want you to shield you from the pain, but it’s part of growing up," 

Takeda bit his lip. He nodded. 

Behind him, Hanzo set down some cups and saucers Takeda was to wash and dry. "He better not send you crying back home, or I’ll kunai him to death," 

"Hanzo, let’s not talk of threatening a young boy’s life,” Kenshi put his hand on Hanzo’s waist and pull him close, but Hanzo didn’t let him. 

“We’re at work, stop that!” Hanzo hissed at him. 

“Wait, you really have chained kunai?” Takeda looked horrified. 

“Of course I do,” said Hanzo smugly. “How else did you think I was able to reel your father in?" 

"PAPA!” Takeda squeaked. 

Kenshi sighed. “No, Takeda-kun. Hanzo doesn’t really have chained kunai, and like you said, it’s a stereotype," 

"I used metaphorical chained kunai,” Hanzo insisted. “Kenshi, get over here and clean the oven like you said you would, before I kunai your ass again,” (4)

“Hai, hai,” Kenshi followed Hanzo into the kitchen.  

Takeda put a hand to his face. No wonder Cassie had taken to calling him ninja. He shook his head. At least his parents’ hilarious, if sometimes horrifying, bickering took his mind off Jin’s absence. 

—

10pm. It was raining, the shop was closed already, and Takeda was stuck closing up, because he insisted his parents to go home first, and that he’d be home after he’d done some last few things. But instead, he’d been stuck at the shop for about an hour now, and the rain doesn’t seem to want to let up. 

His phone was dead, he didn’t have a charger with him, and he tried using the landline to call home, but the call wasn’t going through. Let out a heavy breath and lied down on one of the booths with the leather seats near the window, and watched the rain hit the window. 

He was in Jin’s booth. Table five. He didn’t come in today either. He wasn’t able to think about it much though, since today was a busy day. One moment he was serving morning coffee, next thing he knew, Hanzo was handing him a plate of food, and it was two in the afternoon. 

Maybe Jin really didn’t like that cheesecake offer? Or maybe he just didn’t like cheesecakes? Jin had never ordered cheesecakes before. Most of time he got pastries, and sandwiches, or sometimes some rice if his dads were in the mood to serve some lunch. Maybe he should have offered him a rice bowl instead? He wasn’t being racist or anything, because damn did Takeda love rice bowls. His stepdad made amazing rice bowls. 

Suddenly there was loud banging on the shop’s door. “Mr. Takahashi!" 

Takeda sat up. 

"Mr. Takahashi! Is anybody there?" 

He rushed to door, and saw Jin, standing in the rain with a big umbrella. Takeda quickly opened the door. "Jin-san! Come in, hurry," 

"Takeda!” Jin folded the umbrella and went in. “Are you okay?" 

"Yes, I’m fine, the question is, are  _you_? You were out there in that rain!" 

"I was texting you, around the time your shift ended,” said Jin, “And there was no reply, and I tried calling, but I couldn’t contact you. I mean, the girl with the yellow hair, she gave your number to me. I don’t mean to sound like a stalker. I’m sorry–then it rained really hard, and I still couldn’t contact you, and I couldn’t get to my car. And one part of the university lost electricity–”

Takeda chuckled. “Calm down. Would you like something hot to drink? On the house,” somehow he felt good that Jin had been trying to contact him all this time his phone was dead.

Jin took a calming breath. “Yes, that would be nice," 

Ten minutes later, seated at table five, Takeda brought Jin a big mug of hot chocolate. "Here you go,” he set it in front of him. 

“Thank you,” Jin took a few moments to soak up the warmth, and had a sip before telling Takeda the rest of his freak out. Then maybe ask him out. Or maybe ask him out before freaking out. “This is great, thank you. So uh…” or maybe he could tell him first about passing his exam. “I haven’t  been in lately, because I’ve been moving my stuff back home, since I’m graduating in a few weeks. So um, yeah I passed my exam. Not sure if you’re still offering that cheesecake…?" 

"Really?!” Takeda said excitedly. “I’ll give you the cheesecake! Though I probably won’t be in tomorrow. I’m beat. And you’re graduating, that's  _awesome_!" 

Jin couldn’t help but laugh at Takeda’s excitement. "Thank you,” he took another sip from the mug. “So um,”

“Hey,” Takeda suddenly blurted out. It’s now or never. “Do you, by any chance, wanna go out with me?" 

It took a few moments for Jin to recover from the shock. But he was able to answer before Takeda could withdraw or think he was rejecting him. "Yes. Yes, I’d love to go out with you,” with a nervous laugh, he added, “That was why I was calling you after your shift, I wanted to ask you out, too," 

Takeda let out a breath of relief. He was already thinking of fucking up Cassie for making him believe this dude liked him–wait, Jin wanted to ask him out, too? "Really?" 

"Yeah, I…” Jin said shyly. “I’ve liked you for a while now…" 

"So Cassie was right!” Takeda frowned. “You  _don’t_  come for the coffee!" 

"Of course I come for the coffee,” Jin chuckled. “The coffee’s great!" 

"Oh, that’s a relief,” said Takeda gratefully. “Thank you," 

"And your dad makes really good cinnamon rolls, and beats studying at a noisy Starbucks, or at my dorm. And uh…what do I call your other dad…?" 

Takeda snickered. "Everybody still calls him Mr. Hasashi so that people don’t have to call them both Mr. Takahashi. His bachelor’s name is Hasashi," 

"And Mr. Hasashi makes amazing rice bowls, so yeah,” Jin nodded, unsure of what else to say. “I like you, and like your coffee, and your food, and I would like you to go out with me, as much as I would like to go out with you," 

Takeda turned red. "That…that would be great," 

"You said you weren’t going to come in tomorrow, so Saturday next week at ten? Lunch and a movie, maybe?" 

If it were possible to turn even redder, Takeda would. But it wasn’t, so he just nodded. 

The rain slowly died down, and it was safe enough to leave. Jin was about to offer to take Takeda home, but two people entered the shop, and it was Takeda’s parents. 

"Uh… I gotta go,” Takeda said nervously. 

Jin had to finish his hot chocolate (which had cooled down already), and Takeda took it to the sink behind the counter before facing his parents. 

“Before you go wild on me, he tried to make sure I didn’t drown in the rain, and checked up on me,” said Takeda, “So please, please calm down,” he said mostly to Hanzo.

Hanzo eyed Jin. “I’m keeping my eyes on you," 

"Please don’t scare him, Hanzo,” chided Kenshi. “Thank you for checking in on our son, Kung Jin-san. We’ll close the shop, and will be taking him home now," 

Jin followed them out. "I’ll text you,” he said. 

“I’ll wait for your message,” Takeda said as he opened the car door. “Good night,” he smiled at Jin before getting in the car. 

“Good night. Good night Mr. Takahashi, Mr. Hasashi," 

"Good night, and keep safe,” said Kenshi, and drove away. 

Jin exhaled. “Whew, that was terrifying,” but he felt good, and he was excited to see Takeda on Saturday. They were going on a date. 

—

When Takeda turned his phone on the next day, there were two messages.

[ number ]: good morning, takeda. this is jin. i hope you had a good night’s rest. please save this number. i’m looking forward to seeing you on monday.

[ Cassie]: I TOLD YOU HE LIKED YOU AND YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE ME. YOU OWE ME A CHEESECAKE. AND COFFEE. LOTS OF COFFEE. 

**Author's Note:**

> (1) “Please hurry up, Takeda.”  
> (2) “Something wrong, Takeda?"  
> (3) Takeda calls Kenshi "Papa-san” if you face him off with Kenshi MKX.  
> (4) Did you see what I did there? 
> 
> i have no idea what i’m doing im sorry


End file.
